Come on: is not "anything" the same that "nothing"?

Question

Speaking semantically (meaning), I though that "any- (negation) -thing" were the same that "no- (negation) -thing".

Why cannot we say

"I don't want nothing"

but we can say

"I dont' want anything"?

Why?

Thank you all again, in antecipation.



Ie

Answer 1

You are right: English has two negated forms, "anything" and "nothing".

There are two forms for historical reasons. "Nothing" was used first, I think, and "anything" was invented later. The Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English says that no-negation (like "nothing") is used more in written language than in spoken language. The history is a good explanation for this: written language is more conservative and spoken language is more progressive. So written language is still hanging on more to the older form.

According to the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English, not-negation (like "not anything") is used more overall in many syntactic contexts. No-negation (like "nothing") is used the most in embedded clauses.

There is very little semantic difference, although potentially there is a difference in scope. I think it would be difficult to come up with an example of this. Some syntactic contexts still allow only no-negation (LGSWE).

It might interest you to know that some dialects of English do allow their speakers to say "I don't want nothing." This type of negation has been around in English for hundreds of years and has persisted until today. Grammarians in the 1700s thought this was bad and created rules to try to get rid of it. They were somewhat successful in getting rid of the form in some dialects, I suppose, but the "double negative" form is still quite widespread. Many people will tell you that it's "uneducated" or "ignorant" but that is not really true: again, it's a form that's existed in English for hundreds of years. Since you are apparently a non-native speaker of English, perhaps your native language has negative harmony like this, so you can understand how much sense it makes. So it's really only standard dialects of English that want you to say "I don't want anything."

Answer 2

Then we are in undesirable shape while you're top. There could desire to be know greater death in accordance to Revelations 20:15, Rev 21:4 and not greater tears or crying etc yet we've lots of those. whilst he returns it quite is interior the comparable way the disciples seen him ascend. Matt 24:30, Acts a million:11.

Answer 3

I don't want nothing is not correct. However, in other languages it might be OK, like in French "je ne veux rien" is not only acceptable but desirable, since it has a double negation.

Answer 4

cuz u cannot say 2 negatives. it's like in maths -2 x -2 = +4

I don't want nothing means that you want something cuz if you don't want nothing THEN you want something.

For example. Either and Neither

I don't either and NOT I don't Neither (neg + neg)

Hope you kinda understand what I mean if you don't contact me and I'll give you some links on english grammar.

Answer 5

any is not a negation.
If you are from Brasil, then the translation for 'any' would be 'qualquer' and the translation of nothing is 'nada'.
It's kind of confusing because of the way it is written in
Portuguese 'Eu nao quero nada' and 'I don't want anything'. For most of the questions and things that refer to 'nothing' you have to actually write them with 'any...'

Answer 6

Din't like 10 people answer yr 1st question about this? You're a little stubborn, aren't you?

Answer 7

anything may have several meanings. I'd suggest you look it up in a good grammar book.

Answer 8

yes, "not anything" is the same as "nothing", it's when you put the "not"(or any other negative) with "nothing" that it becomes "something"!

Answer 9

did you mean anticipation - because your spelling error ruined it for me

Answer 10

it's a black and white thing i think